Fuel-feeding system for motor vehicles



June 19, 1928..

A. G. REDMOND FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed 001;. 31, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Snow/"Tow June 19, 1928.

- 1,674,125 REDMOND I FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM FOR mowon VEHICLES Filed Oct. 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALBERT G. REDMOND, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO JACOB RICHARD FRANCIS, F FLINT, MICHIGAN.

FUEL-FEEDING SYSTEM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed October 31, 1923. Serial No. 671,907.

This invention relates to fuel feeding systems for motor vehicles for raising fuel from a low level tank to asupplemental tank receptacle arranged in a plane above the charge forming device so the fuel will be fed from the supplemental reservoir to a charge forming device by gravity, a certain amount of fuel being held in reserve within the receptacle so that an ample supply of fuel 1 will be fed'to the charge forming device under all conditions.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a fuel feeding systemin which an electric pump is employed of a novel construction arranged within a receptacle and so connected to a source of electrical energy that the solenoid of the pump will be energized and de-energized by the operation of the en 'ne.

A still further 0 ject of the invention is to provide a construction of fuel feeding system which can be readily installed on any of the Well known makes of engines now in use, the receptacle carrying the pump being so constructed that it can be readily placed under the hood of an ordinary motor vehicle to take the place of an ordinary vacuum tank now generally in use in motor vehicles.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

. In the drawings, 7

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of my improved construction of fuel feeding system to a motor vehicle;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the receptacle and pump showing the interrupter in elevation; and j Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

. In the drawing 1 indicates the frame of a motor vehicle, 2 the internal combustion engine, 3 the carbureter which is provided with a fuel bowl 4 in which the usual float is mounted for maintaining the fuel therein at a predetermined level.

Disposed under the hood is a receptacle 5 forming a supplemental reservoir whichis provided with an outlet pipe 6 extending to the fuel bowl of the carbureter and a feed pipe 7 extending to the main fuel supply tank 8 which is arranged at a lower level than the carbureter. The receptacle 5 is herein shown cylindrical in form and is preferably arranged: under the hood of the motor vehicle in substantially the same manner as the vacuum tank now generally in use in motor vehicles.

The receptacle is provided with a base 9 formed of two sections, the inner section having an internally threaded nipple 10 in which is secured the lower end of a pump cylinder 11 surrounded at its upper end by a solenoid 12 and closed in a casing 13 as clearly shown, said solenoid being connected at its lower end by a feed .wire 14 to a source of electrical energy in the form of a battery 15, which is grounded as shown at 16, the other end of the solenoid being grounded as shown at 17, it, of course, bemg understood that the particular manner of grounding the solenoid is immaterial as it can be grounded through the receptacle if desired.

An interrupter 18 is disposed within the feed wire having a fixed contact 19 and a movable contact 20 actuated by a cam 21 driven from a pump shaft 22 of the motor vehicle as clearly shown and described in an application filed even date herewith. The particular manner of driving the cam is immaterial .as I am aware that it can be driven from any moving part of the motor vehicle so as to make and break the electrical circuit in order to energize and de-energize the solenoid of the pump;

. Mounted within the pump cylinder 11 is a hollow piston 23 forming the core of the solenoid and provided with a foot valve 24 at its lower end, through which fuel is adapted to flow on the down stroke of the piston. The down stroke of the piston is arrested by a coil spring 25 mounted on a threaded end of a valve casing 26 secured in the threaded nipple, said valve casing being provided with a removable valve seat 27 having a check valve 28 co-acting therewith.

The removable seat 27 of the valve casing is in the form of a plug and has connectedthereto a pipe section 29 to which the the fuel being drawn from the main fuel supply tank will be strained before it passes into the supplemental receptacle, this pipe section 29 being removable so that the strainer can be removed and cleaned when desired.

Secured within the upper end of the pump cylinder is the threaded nipple 31 of a valve casing 32, said nipple carrying a coil spring 33 for checking the upward movement of the hollow piston. The valve casing is provided with a valve seat 34 on which is seated a check valve 35.

The upper end of the valve casing 32 is closed by a plug 36 provided with outlet ports 37, which are adapted to be closed by the valve 35 when moved upwardly as will be hereinafter fully described.

The valve 35 is provided with a stem 38 working through a guide formed in the plug 36 and carries a collar 39 provided with a removablehead 40. The collar is provided with a flange spaced from the head as clearly shown and mounted on the collar is a cap 41 provided with an opening to receive the collar and the cap is allowed to slide freely between the flange and head for the purpose hereinafter fully described.

Thecap 41 is connected to an annular float 42 by arms 43, said float being disposed within the upper end of the receptacle 5 and is adapted to be moved upwardly when the fuel therein rises above a predetermined level so as to raise the check valve 35 off of its seat against the seat formed on the plug over the outlets 37 so as to prevent the fuel from passing out of the outlets into the receptacle, whereby the pump ceases to operate when the outlet is closed.

The upper end of the receptacle 5 is closed by a cover 44 having a central neck portion 45 to receive the valve casing and the parts carried thereby. The neck portion is provided with a detachable plug 46 having a vent 47.

In theoperation of a fuel feeding system as herein shown and described, the

electric pump is timed by the engineas the interrupter is actuated every so many revolutions of the engine so as to make and break the electric circuit to the solenoid and as the solenoid is energized, the piston is raised and as it is de-energized, the piston drops and the fuel within the cylinder which has been drawn from the main fuel tank passes through the hollow piston and when the piston is again raised, it is forced out through the outlet ports as the upper check valve raises to allow the fuel to pass thereby.

As the receptacle 5 is provided with an outlet 5 to which the delivery pipe 6 is connected, the fuel drawn from the main tank.

into the supplementary tank flows by gravity into the bowl of the carbureter. As the capacity of the pump is greater than the ordinary consumption of fuel by the charge forming device, fuel accumulates within the receptacle and after it rises beyond a predetermined level, the float raises so as to raise the upper check valve and force it in position on the upper seat over the outlet ports, so that the outlet of the pump is closed, which causes the pump to cease to operate until the level drops in the receptacle. This provides means for holding in reserve a certain amount of fuel and as the whole device is arranged in a single unit, a very novel feeding device is formed.

I am aware that prior to my invention it was old to provide a pressure operated pump within a receptacle, but in the prior constructions no means were provided for cut.- ting off the outlet of the pump after the fuel had reached a predetermined level within the receptacle.

In the construction as herein shown, the outlet check valve of the pump performs a double function as it closes the outlet of the pump barrel when the fuel within the reservoir reaches a predetermined level and in order to allow this check valve to work freely under ordinary conditions, I employ the collar to receive the cap which carries a float and as there is a space between the flange and the head, the valve can more a certain distance so as to allow the check valve to open and close without affecting the float.

From the foregoing description it. will be seen that I have provided a pump within a receptacle, said pump comprising a barrel having inlet and outlet check valves at its upper and lower ends in connection with an outlet port which is closed by the upper check valve by a float when the fuel within the receptacle reaches a predetermined level so as to completely cut off the supply of fuel to the receptacle and by the particular construction of pump herein shown, the piston ceases to operate until the level drops so as to allow the outlet valve to open.

What I claim is 1. A combined pump and reservoir for fuel feeding systems for motor vehicles comprising a reservoir having a vertical pum cylinder arranged therein, provided witi inlet and outlet check valves, a solenoid surrounding the upper end of said pump cylinder, a casing for closing said solenoid, an outlet for said pump cylinder capable of being closed by the outlet check valve, a piston movably mounted in said pump cylinder, a float arranged in said reservoir connected to said check valve for closing the outlet of said pump when the fuel therein reaches a predetermined level and means timed by the engine for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid.

2. A fuel feeding apparatus for motor vehicles comprising a receptacle from which fuel is fed to the carbureter of the motor vehicle by gravity, a pump arranged in said receptacle or pumping fuel from a source of supply into said receptacle, said pump having a sliding. hollow piston provided with a foot valve and provided with inlet and outlet check valves, the outlet check valve being capable of closing the outlet of said pump, a float arranged in said recep tacle for moving said upper check valve in position to close the outlet, a source of current, an electric circuit including a solenoid for actuating the piston of said pump, an interrupter arranged in said circuit and means actuated by the engine for operating said interrupter,

3. -A pump and reservoir for the purpose described comprising a cylindrical reservoir having a pump cylinder mounted centrally therein, a valve casing connected to the lower end of said pump cylinder provided with an inlet check valve, a valve casing connected to the upper end of said pump cylinder provided with an outlet check valve and outlet ports adapted to be closed by said. outlet check valve when raised a predetermined distance, a hollow piston mounted in said pump cylinder, a source of energy, an electric circuit including a solenoid for actuating said piston, means timed by the engine for making and breaking said electric circuit and a float arranged within said receptacle having a loose connection with the outlet check valve for closing the outlet of said pump cylinder when the fuel within said reservoir reaches a predetermined level.

4:- An electric pump for a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles comprising a pump barrel having detachable valve casings at its upper and lower ends, an inlet check valve arranged in the lower casing and an outlet check valve arranged in the upper casing, the upper casing being provided with outlet ports capable of being closed by the outlet check valve, a hollow piston slidably mounted in said pump barrelprovided with a foot valve, a solenoid surrounding the upper portion of said barrel, a casing surrounding said solenoid, a receptacle in which said pump barrel is mounted and a float arranged in said receptacle having a loose connection-with the upper check valve.

5. An electric pump comprisin a pump barrel having a valve casing at its lower end provided with an inlet check valve, a valve casing mounted on the other end of said barrel having an outlet check valve and outlet ports capable of being closed by said outlet check valve, a solenoid surrounding said barrel, a hollow iston formin the core of said solenoid sli ably mounte in said barrel provided with a foot valve, springs disposed in the upper and lower ends of said barrel for arresting the movement of .said piston, means forraising the upper check valve to close the outlet thereof, an electric circuit including said solenoid, a source of current and means for making and breaking said electric circuit for energizing and tie-energizing said solenoid.

6. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with a receptacle arranged in,a plane above the main fuel sup ply tank and the carburetor and from which fuel is adapted to be fed to the carburetor by gravity, of a pump barrel disposed vertically in said receptacle having a solenoid surrounding the upper end, a hollow piston provided with a foot valve slidably mounted in said barrel, said barrel being provided with an inlet check valve at its lower end and a detachable valve casing at its upper end provided with an outlet check valve, said detachable valve casing being provided with outlet ports capable of being closed by the outlet check valve when moved upwardly a predetermined distance, a float mounted in said receptacle having a loose connection to said outlet check valve and adapted to close the outlet ports of said valve casing when the liquid fuel within said receptacle reaches a predetermined level, and means for energizing and de-energizing said solenoid for intermittently raising said piston. i I 7. A combined pump and receptacle for fuel feeding systems for motor vehicles comprising a cylindrical receptacle having a centrally disposed vertical cylinder, a solenoid surrounding the upper portion of said cylinder, a casing surrounding said solenoid, a hollow piston mounted in said cylinder forming the core of said solenoid and provided with a foot valve, a detachable valve casing at the lower end of said cylinder having an inlet check valve,'a detachable valve casing at the upper end of said cylinder having an outlet check valve, the last mentioned valve casing being provided with outlet portscapable of being closed by the outlet check valve, said outlet check valve being provided with a stem, a collar carried by said stem, a cap loosely mounted on said collar, arms carried by said cap, an annular float mounted in said receptacle carried by said arms and adapted to raise said outlet check valve in position to close the outlet ports of said valve casing when the fuel within said valve reaches a predetermined level. i

8. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with a pump for raising fuel from a low level tank to a high level tank, said'pump comprising a pump cylinder having a solenoid surrounding the upper portion thereof, inlet and outlet check arranged at the upper and lower ends of said pump cylinder for arresting the movement of said piston.

9. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with an electrically operated pump for raising the fuel from a low level tank to a high level tank, said pump being provided with a hollow sliding piston having a foot valve, inlet and outlet check valves for said pump, outlet ports for said pump, said outlet ports being capable of being closed by the outlet check valve and means for actuating said outlet check valve to close said port by a float arranged in the high level tank.

10. In a fuel feeding system for motor vehicles, the combination with a main fuel supply tank, of a carbureter, an auxiliary reservoir arranged in a plane above said carbureter and main fuel sup ly tank and from which fuel is adapted to he fed to the carbureter by gravity, a pump for pumping fuel from said main tank to said auxiliary reservoir, said pump comprising a pump chamber and a piston slidably mounted therein, an outlet port for said pum chamber, inlet and outlet check valves for said chamber, said outlet check valve being capable of closing said outlet ports, a float mounted in said receptacle for moving said outlet check valve in position to close said outlet ports, a source of electric current, an electric circuit including a solenoid for actuating said piston and means timed by the engine for making and breaking said electric circuit.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ALBERT G. REDMOND. 

